by K E Osborn
“Oh babe, you’re too fuckin’ adorable to kill anyone.”
“Shut up! You guys are mean to me,” she says pouting then Steel leans in and bites her bottom lip.
My stomach flips at seeing his affection toward her. He was never like that with me, and even though I know I will never be with Steel and I have to let him go, it still hurts. I can’t help myself before I lash out. “Urgh, pa-lease! You guys are disgusting,” I shout to break them up as I walk over and sit down.
“Just ‘cause you’re not Steel’s number one anymore, Lunar, doesn’t mean you have to show your bitch,” Ryder calls out.
“O-o-oh,” the other guys all murmur.
They’re right. I don’t need to be a bitch, I need to move on from Steel and be with someone much more suited to me anyway. “Shut up, dickwad. I’m fine with that. I’m finding my time’s better spent with more… dangerous men.”
Steel furrows his brows and looks at me. I smirk at him as his face lights up like something’s just clicked inside his brain. “How is our little American musician?” he asks with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
That annoys me, so I scowl at his tone. But then I think of Danger, and I can’t help it as I take a deep breath and a natural smile follows soon after. He is amazing, and he does make me feel good when I’m around him. This is a genuine smile. “He’s great. I’ve seen him a couple of times. His band is awesome by the way. Good job at getting them to perform here in Oz.”
“Well, hopefully, Techie can get them sorted into somethin’ a bit bigger than our clubs. I’m glad you’ve found someone, Lunar. It’s nice when you find someone that’s right for you, isn’t it?” he asks looking at Willow then caresses her cheek just to spite me.
It makes my blood boil that he’s purposely trying to get a rise from me. “Yeah, it sucks though, when you think you’ve already found that someone and he finds someone else.” I can’t help myself, Steel brought me into this club, he made me fall for him, then when he had his fill of me he took off with the next best thing. Well, screw him! I’m worth more than that, and if Steel wants to play fucking mind games with me, I’m done.
I stand up and storm off back inside the club rooms and down to my room. I’m fuming, and Steel is making it so much easier to want to leave this club. This place just doesn’t feel like home to me anymore, and besides the money, Steel was my main reason for being here. I’m no longer in his life, so maybe Danger is right, maybe I need to broaden my horizons. Maybe I do have a future outside of this club. I just need to think of something that would be willing to take in an ex-club girl, who was a stripper for four and a half years.
Yeah, not so easy to get a job like that.
Chapter Nine
DANGER
It’s morning and I’m just lazing around in bed when I hear a gentle rapping at my door. Furrowing my brows, I figure it’s probably Ryan or one of the guys, so I get up in just my boxer briefs and answer the door. Pulling the door open, my eyes widen when I see Lunar standing there. I’m shocked but happy as I smile at her, she smirks looking me up and down licking her lips.
“See something you like?”
She scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Like I’ve never heard that line before.”
I shake my head and lead her over to the bed where we lay down, and she moves into the nook of my arm and cuddles into my chest playing with my nipple ring.
“So, I didn’t think I’d see you till the next gig.”
She looks up at me and grins. “‘Cause I only like you when you’re rocking it out and what not?” she asks.
“Yeah, something like that.”
“Pfft… you’re a twat. I like you, Danger. Not just ‘cause you make my knickers wet when you’re singing.”
I cuddle into her further. “Well, I’m glad I make your panties wet when I sing. And I like you, too.”
“Good, now that’s out of the way I want to talk to you about something,” she says with her serious voice on.
“Yep, shoot.”
She leans up on her elbow looking down over me, her pink hair framing her beautiful face perfectly. “If, and I mean if I were to distance myself from the club… do you have any ideas as to what kind of work I might be able to do?”
I chew on my bottom lip as my fingers trace up and down her arm. Taking in a deep breath, I think about what she could do that would keep her around me. “Well… Recoil will be performing more, so we’ll need to get some merchandise arranged.”
She furrows her brows and purses her lips in confusion. “I’m not following?”
“At the gigs, we’ll need someone very beautiful and sassy to sell all the merch.”
She opens her eyes as her mouth gapes open. “You want me to work… for you?”
I let out a puff of air through my nose and shake my head. “With me, Candy, not for me. You can help us pick out what kind of stuff we can sell, and our branding if you want. Work with me to get great looking gear so we can sell as much stuff as possible.”
She slowly nods her head and purses her lips looking upward like she’s thinking. “So, what kind of pay would I get?”
Shrugging, I tense up slightly. “That I’m not sure. I guess it depends on what kind of money we start to make from the gigs and from the sales of the merch. The problem is it wouldn’t be as much as you make from Strapless, of that I’m sure. But maybe we can think of something extra, something different in addition to the merch where we can increase sales.”
“Like a kissing booth. Come one… come all… kiss Danger, Matt, and Nate.”
I chuckle. “Not Ryan?” I ask.
She curls up her lips and wrinkles her nose. “Nah, I’m sure he’s gay, right?”
Bursting out laughing, I shake my head as she grins and lays back down cuddling into me completely. “I’m going to tell him you said that.”
“Do it, I’d love to see his reaction,” she says, and I shake my head, she’s such a tease. “Okay, so how ‘bout I try my hand at the merch and limit my shifts at Strapless to the nights you’re not doing gigs and see how it goes?”
“Sounds like you’re starting your new life, Candy.”
“And it’s all because of you.” She cuddles into me and I lean in kissing her hair.
TWO DAYS LATER
We’re at another bar setting up for a gig when Techie walks in with a guy who looks like your typical Aussie surfer. His hair is sweeping blond as it falls around his face in soft waves. His broad shoulders shows he’s fit, and I’m sure to the ladies he’d be pretty good looking, what with his strong jaw line and bright blue eyes. It’s intimidating the way he holds himself. He’s giving off that very sure of himself look and he oozes confidence. Wearing a crisp suit, the white shirt unbuttoned at the top with no tie, makes him look all business but cool at the same time.
I raise my eyebrow wondering who the hell this guy is. I’m pretty sure if he’s here with Techie, then he’s here for us. Lunar is here too, her pink and yellow locks grab my attention next, making my cock ache for her. She really is the most stunning woman in this place. Fuck, in the whole of Australia I’m sure. Shaking my head as I smile at her, she grins and I step down off the stage walking over to the threesome. Glancing at the new guy, I nod my head in a gesture of hello, but put my knuckles out to Techie, he pounds them and bumps into my side.
“Hey Danger, I’d like you to meet Luke. He’s coming onboard as your agent while you’re here in Oz.”
I look to the blond guy to Techie’s left and curtly smile. “Hey Luke, nice to meet you. Thanks for coming onboard.” Putting out my hand to shake, he takes it firmly and shakes once with a slight smile.
“Nice to meet you, too. Techie says only good things about your band, and from what I’ve heard your music is great. I can’t wait to hear you live tonight to make my final call.”
“Final call?” I ask.
He grins. “I’m not onboard just yet. I want to see you live, see you perform. I’m eighty percent in. Tonight’s show will e
ither seal the deal or end it… no pressure.”
A knot forms in my stomach and I take in a deep breath. Having an agent opens a hell of a lot more doors. We need this. “Don’t worry, you’ll be on our side after the first song.”
“Let’s hope so. Right… go, and finish getting ready. You don’t need to waste your pre-show time on me. We can talk after,” he says.
“Thanks for coming, Luke. It means a lot.”
“Enjoy your show,” he says patting my arm in a comforting way.
I look to Lunar raising my eyebrows. She loops her arm with mine and we walk off back over to the stage.
“Did you know he was coming tonight?” I ask her.
She grins. “Only when Techie told me this afternoon. I was going to tell you, but then I thought it might make you nervous all day.”
“It would’ve, so thanks. You all set for the merch stand tonight?” I ask as we walk up to it.
“I’ll do great. I’m gonna sell the shit out of everything, just you wait and see!”
“That a girl.”
“Are you nervous?”
I curl up my lip deep in thought. I was, initially knowing Luke was here. But now not so much. “No, I know how to perform, it comes naturally. I’ll just be myself up there and rock like normal, I’m a pro at this.”
“Yeah, you are. Now go. The guys look like they’re waiting for you,” she says leaning in pressing her lips to mine quickly before tapping my ass lightly and turning me to face the stage where Ryan, Matt, and Nate are already set up. The lights are strobing and the crowd’s already here. No need to wait. Let’s get this party started.
I jog up the black stairs and onto the stage, my dark boots pounding hard on the floor. Ryan looks at me as I step up to the mic. A few of the girls in the crowd cheer, and I smile my panty dropping smile at them, winking at the overexcited blonde in the front row. She giggles and throws her hands in the air as I pick up my guitar and hurl the strap over my head. I’m still one of those weird guitarists that uses a pick. Ryan uses his fingers to play, says it’s easier to feel the strings, but I was taught with a pick and I’ve always carried on using one. It’s just how I roll. I grab the mic and look out into the sea of small faces. It might only be a medium sized bar full of people, but a crowd is a crowd, and feeling the buzz and energy coming from them is like a beast, it surges the animal inside of me and makes me feel alive.
“Hello, Adelaide. We’re Recoil, and we’re gonna rock your fucking world tonight. So hold on tight, shit’s about to get real,” I say and throw my hand in the air giving the signal to Nate to start playing the drum intro to Stir of Echoes. The song starts and the energy surges. The crowd begins to move as Matt’s bass kicks in, sending the floor into vibrations with the heavy droning. Ryan and I slam on our guitars. Ryan taking the lead, of course, as the heavy rock filters through the bar, resounding off the walls and filling the space with nothing but pure unadulterated sounds of exhilaration that run through me igniting my soul.
I live for this, breathe this, this is my life. Music is the pure center of my gravity, and I’ve lived without it for so long that I could never give this up again, not for anyone or anything. This is not just a part of me, it’s who I am. I open my mouth and the lyrics caress my tongue, flowing out effortlessly into the mic. My deep, gravelly voice reverberates around the bar making the women melt and the men entranced. My body moves with the rhythm, the beat matches my heart rate as I rock along to the music. This is my home, this is my heart, and nothing beats the rush of the music… nothing.
I love performing, even if it’s only to a small bar in downtown Adelaide. I know things are starting to turn for us, and with the help of Luke, an agent on our side, anything is possible!
***
Luke is smiling as I bound off the stage on a high. Performing is the best kind of drug in the word—ice, meth or marijuana could never compare to the kind of lift rocking out can give you. I smile at Lunar and give her a wink as she watches me walk past her while she’s busy selling our stuff to a bunch of girls. I grin knowing Lunar’s doing an awesome job and stroll over toward Techie and Luke. Luke looks me up and down shaking his head, and my heart leaps into my throat for a moment as I think he’s saying no to me. That is until a giant smile crosses his face as I reach him.
He reaches out grabbing my arm pulling me to his side, and wraps his arm around my sweaty shoulders. “Danger, you devil, your sound is exactly what I’m looking for. I’m in, I’m all in. I’m going to start looking at getting you guys an Australian tour lined up as quickly as possible, and getting your songs on the radio. I want Recoil to be the latest buzz, the latest hot sound in Australia.”
Grinning like the fucking Cheshire cat, I shake my head. “Shit! I don’t know what to say.”
“Well, a fucking thank you would be nice,” he teases with a dirty great big smile.
“Fuck! Sorry. Yeah. Thanks, Luke. You don’t know what this means to the band… to me.”
He nods. “No, I do know what it means. You guys deserve to make it, and I’m going to help make it happen, Danger. With some work from you guys and dedication from me, we will do this.”
“Yeah, we will.”
“Good, now go pack up.”
I smirk, he’s obviously going to be ordering us around a lot, so I figure I may as well start obeying him now.
“Sure, thanks again.” I walk back over by the stage to see Lunar at the merch desk selling the last item that we have available. I grin at her and she smiles nodding her head once at me.
“I think I’m good at this… selling shit stuff.”
I shake my head and half laugh. “Yeah, I think you are. Come here,” I say, and she moves out from behind the desk. I reach out grabbing and pulling Lunar to me pressing my lips to hers.
“Danger, can I get a photo?” someone calls out.
I break away from Lunar and wince. “Sorry babe, duty calls.”
She nods with half a smile and lets me go. I walk over to my new fans and get into the huddle to have a selfie taken with them.
Chapter Ten
LUNAR
Danger walks off and I have to admit, I’m a little disappointed I didn’t get to have a little more time with him before the fans took him away. But as he laughs and interacts with the girls, I can’t help but feel like he’s flirting with them. Not over the top, just enough for it to bug me. But we’re not even an item so I can’t be jealous about it, right? Chewing on my bottom lip as I stand back watching him, I wrap my arms around myself as Techie and Ryan walk over to me.
“Jealousy doesn’t look good on you, Lunar,” Techie quips.
I roll my eyes and tilt my hip to the side. “I’m not jealous.”
Ryan chuckles and shakes his head. “Lunar… sweet, sweet, Lunar. The thing you’ll learn about us rock stars is we’re irresistible to women, and our rugged good looks and chiseled features make us pretty much gods.”
I raise my eyebrows and lean out rubbing his stomach. “Yeah, that’s why the women are flocking to you right now, hey tubby guts?”
Techie chuckles as Ryan scoffs and sucks his slight chubby belly in. “Hey, the chicks dig me, too. But the moral of the story is that if you’re going to be around Danger, you have to learn that women will always be around him. He’s the lead singer and that makes him royalty… practically a living legend. If you’re jealous now, you have to tame that beast. Because if we get bigger, this… those four girls… they will turn into a crowd, and these babes are tame to what we’ve seen previously.”
Chewing on my bottom lip as Ryan walks off, I glance at Techie. “You going to be okay with him and other women?”
I shrug. “Well, it’s not like he’s fucking them in front of me, or even kissing them. And hell, we’re not even a couple, so really I have no right to even be scowling at them… right?”
Techie chuckles and nods. “I’m just glad that you’re scowling over another man that isn’t Steel for a change. I’m glad to see you’re f
inally moving on.”
I look over to Danger and a girl grabs his arse, he chuckles but removes her hand. A rush of endorphins run through me when he denies her and I smile. “Yeah, I think I’m moving on.”
Techie wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me to him. “Good, because seeing you mope after Steel was depressing me. And depression can lead to feelings of guilt, being overwhelmed, being irritable, frustrated, not wanting to go out anymore, significant weight loss or gain. But most importantly… loss in sexual drive. And you wouldn’t want me to lose my healthy appetite for sex now, would you, Lunar?”
My head throws back in laughter as I shake it and roll my eyes.
Fucking Techie and his fact talking bullshit all the time.
“No, of course not, Techie. I’d never want that. But seriously you will find a girl one day who will tame you, too.”
He scoffs. “Not fucking likely. I’m too much man for one woman to handle.”
“Oh my God, more like you’re too much of a tool for anyone to handle.”
“You love my tool.” He waggles his eyebrows up and down insinuatingly.
“Maybe… but shut up. I still think you’re a douche.”
“I am a douche, but at least I own it.”
“True story. Anyway, let’s get a drink.”
Techie pulls me with him to the bar, we stand in line as the sound of a gentler more subdued type of music drifts around the bar through the sound system. Suddenly, strong arms wrap around me from behind, and warmth floods my veins at the feeling of joy of being surrounded by his smell, sweat, and just pure Danger. My head turns to the side to meet him, and he smiles widely at me leaning in to kiss my cheek. A spark tingles through my skin and down my side straight to my clit making it throb, as he grins his enigmatic playboy smile at me.
“I didn’t see you run off, I was worried you’d gone.”
I wrap my arms around his and smile. “No way, just getting a drink. You really rocked it tonight.”
